Two Adelaide 36ers players have been hit with serious charges by the NBL including grabbing fans

Big penalties loom for two NBL imports after being charged for grabbing at fans during an eye-popping incident in Melbourne last weekend.

Adelaide 36ers imports Montrezl Harrell and Kendric Davis have been sent straight to the NBL tribunal and face massive penalties after both being charged with “inappropriate grabbing or handling of a spectator” during last Sunday’s wild brawl in Melbourne.

Former NBA big man Harrell has also been hit with two charges of striking as well as engaging in a melee with the hearing for the duo to be held on Friday in front of a single member tribunal.

Harrell questioned whether he would return to Australia after heading back to America during the NBL’s season-break this weekend in the wake of the incident at John Cain Arena which was condemned by both coaches.

Four spectators sitting behind the 36ers bench were removed after the incident amid suggestions they baited Harrell after he tangled with Melbourne United’s Rob Loe resulted in an on-court fracas involving several players and staff.

While the referees reviewed the play, words were exchanged between courtside fans and the 36ers players, who had retreated to the bench.

The fan seemed to shove 36ers guard Dejan Vasiljevic, which Harrell and point guard Davis took exception to.

I trust the @NBL will come down hard on the spectator who shoved @Adelaide36ers staff and players. pic.twitter.com/uPIIRDYbXS

— Steve Allen (@ScubaStv) November 17, 2024

A subsequent NBL investigation resulted in the charges for the 36ers duo with United’s Shea Ili fined $775 for engaging in a melee, the same penalty handed out to United’s

assistant coach David Barlow who was charged with bench clearing during a fight.

The NBL investigation in to the behaviour of the spectators involved, who are yet to be identified, is ongoing.

Adelaide and Melbourne coaches Mike Wells and Dean Vickerman both condemned the “mayhem” that broke loose after an ugly confrontation between courtside fans and 36ers’ players including ex-NBA star Montrezl Harrell and staff.

Both Wells and Vickerman said the fans “crossed the line” when they hurled abuse at 36ers players and “put hands on” the club’s basketball boss Matt Weston and stars Kendric Davis and Dejan Vasiljevic early in the fourth quarter of United’s 103-93 win at John Cain Arena.

“All mayhem is breaking loose on the sidelines ... The fans were screaming at our players and being really, really aggressive,” Wells, who has decades of experience as an assistant coach in the NBA, said.

“Been in the NBA a long time, I’ve seen a lot of different fights, but when people that are right in the front row, they cannot do that.”

Originally published as Two Adelaide 36ers players have been hit with serious charges by the NBL including grabbing fans